SYSTIMAXÂ® Building Automation Systems - Communications ...

SYSTIMAX ® Building Automation Systems 

Cost Reducing Construction Techniques 

for New and Renovated Buildings/Cost Models 

White Paper 

Issue 2 

March 2004 

SYSTIMAX ® Structured Connectivity Solutions 

www.systimax.com

WHITE PAPER BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS 

Contents 

1 Introduction 1 

2 The Foundation for Systems Integration 2 

3 Planning 4 

4 Integrating Building Automation Systems (BAS) 

with the Structured Cabling Systems for Voice and Data 7 

5 Bid Specifications 11 

6 Conclusion 12 

7 Cost Models 12


1. Introduction 

There are many interpretations and definitions of an intelligent building. An intelligent building can be defined by 

the information and control services that meet the needs of the occupants, the software that controls 

telecommunications and building automation functions, or by the actual electronic hardware and devices 

implemented within the structure. It is necessary to have all of these components to create such a facility, but a 

Structured Connectivity Solution (SCS) is the common ingredient required to integrate the telecommunications 

(e.g., voice, data, video, etc.) and Building Automation Systems (BAS). Other than the SCS, these low voltage or 

power-limited services have nothing in common except similar transmission characteristics (i.e., analog or digital 

data signals), and the pathways (e.g., conduit, cable tray, raceway, and so on) that support and protect the 

cabling investment. 

Providing an internationally standardized SCS and consolidating the horizontal pathways for all the systems can 

reduce the initial construction costs by 10-15%, and up to 30%, for the cabling infrastructure of a modern 

intelligent building. The actual level of savings achieved is dependent upon the configuration and the geographical 

pricing for material and labor. An integrated systems approach also enables management to quickly and cost 

effectively respond to the changing needs of the tenants, which impacts the cost to occupy the space. In some 

cases, additional construction expenditures for the SCS or BAS, such as devices to optimize the use of power 

consumption, may be necessary to reduce the operational expenses. However, the costs for cabling-related changes 

can typically be reduced by 25-40% for a new or renovated facility when using a total systems integration approach. 

As can be seen from the graph below, typical costs for building operation and alterations over a 40-year life cycle 

far exceed the initial construction costs. Proper systems integration planning to optimize the construction process 

can reduce these on-going life cycle costs. 

Construction 

11% 

Operation 

50% 

Financing 

14% 

Alterations 

25% 

1


2. The Foundation for Systems Integration 

For many years voice and data systems were cabled separately. Now it is standard practice to use a common 

SCS for both of these systems. Like the voice and data systems of the past, the traditional construction process 

separately installs each of the BAS disciplines under various divisions of a specification. 

The BAS typically consists of: 

• Fire, Life and Safety (FLS) or Fire Alarm (FA) 

• Security and Access Control (SAC) 

• Energy Management Systems (EMS), which includes Lighting Control 

• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) 

Each of these BAS categories is typically cabled separately. The voice and data cabling is rarely addressed during 

construction and is usually not part of the construction budget. Planning and installation is normally accomplished 

when the floor space is being prepared for occupancy. This means multiple cabling systems and pathways are 

installed during various stages of the construction, which establishes one of the primary reasons for systems 

integration (i.e., integrated cabling and pathways instead of individual systems). Other reasons for integrating the 

BAS with the telecommunications include: 

• BAS use data networking and LAN architectures (i.e., intelligent controllers and addressable devices). 

Ethernet-IP based controllers are readily available from multiple BAS vendors. 

• BAS are increasingly being integrated into the primary data backbone, which allows controlled access 

through any PC on the data network. 

With proper planning the only limiting factor for complete systems integration of the telecommunications and BAS 

may be the fire alarm system. In the United States, Article 760-54 (b) of the 1999 National Electrical Code (NEC) 

allows conductors of power-limited fire alarm systems and signaling/communications circuits (Article 725/800) to 

share the same cable, enclosure, or raceway. In addition, Article 760-61 (d) of the NEC allows the use of the same 

type of cable for a fire alarm that is typically used for the communications circuits. Some local codes however, 

especially codes in other countries, may invoke limitations or require special approvals for integrating the fire alarm 

system. Yet, even if the fire alarm cabling is installed separately, there are still substantial cost reductions and 

benefits that can be derived from integrating the remaining BAS (i.e., HVAC, EMS, SAC). 

2


In addition to the code and standards requirements, there is also a need to evaluate the electrical characteristics 

of the systems. The voice and data systems primarily consist of analog and digital signals, and have established 

guidelines for signal strength over distance. The BAS devices operate on current draw, circuit resistance (contact 

closure), or consist of analog or digital signals (e.g., communications bus). Basically, each BAS terminal or device 

will operate over a particular cable type as long as it is located within a specified range from the equipment. 

BAS devices are utilized to monitor or control a specific function. We can equate this to an output from the 

equipment or an input from a device. As an example, there may be a temperature sensor that gathers information 

and sends a signal to the equipment panel (input) and, as a consequence, the equipment sends a signal to a 

device that closes a damper or vent (output). Devices are primarily power-limited or communicate using lowspeed 

protocols. The signal distance supported by the devices is usually limited by the current draw and line 

voltage delivered by the power supply. Typically, 24-AWG unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable has the capacity to 

handle 1 Ampere (Amp) of current draw per conductor, with a maximum of 3.3 Amps per four-pair cable. 

What does this mean The current or signal from the equipment leaves at a specified voltage level. The device 

requires a certain voltage level to operate. As the signal travels through the cable the voltage drops due to 

resistance. Cable pair resistance is measured by shorting one end of the cable and taking a resistance reading 

between the conductors at the other end. A typical 24-AWG UTP cable pair has 187.6 Ohms per kilometer or 

0.1876 Ohms per meter (57.2 Ohms of resistance per one-thousand feet or .0572 Ohms per foot). 

Circuit resistance can be measured by dividing the voltage drop by the current draw. 

If a 24 Volt (V) device requires 50 Milliamps (.05 Amps) of current to operate and the allowable voltage drop is +/- 

10% or 2.4V, the maximum circuit distance using 24-AWG UTP cable is 256 meters (839 feet). This can be easily 

calculated for any cable and circuit using the following two step formula: 

• Voltage Drop (2.4 V) / Current Draw (.05 Amps) = Circuit Resistance (48 Ohms) 

• Circuit Resistance (48 Ohms) / 1 Meter Cable Resistance (.1876 Ohms) = Maximum Distance 

(256 Meters 839 Feet) 

The BAS has evolved from individual systems using many different technologies to LANs and networks using 

intelligent controllers, just like today’s data systems. The cabling choice for today’s data systems is a structured 

UTP copper and fiber connectivity solution. This makes it a natural fit for the BAS and can substantially reduce 

construction and operational costs by planning and integrating all systems on a single cabling infrastructure. 

3


3. Planning 

The previous statements have established that it is possible to use the same type of 0.51 mm (24-AWG) UTP cable 

and share a common cable pathway for all power-limited services. The next step is to determine the best way to 

perform systems integration. The process starts with early planning and a decision by the building owner or 

management to select the cabling as the first system. Once the decision is made to use a common cabling 

infrastructure, it is very easy to select voice, data, video, and BAS equipment that is compatible with the cabling. 

In fact, the sooner the consolidation of cabling systems and pathways is considered, the greater the potential savings 

and flexibility. 

The Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronic Industries Association (TIA/EIA) and International Standards 

Organization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) have created industry standards for cabling 

telecommunications systems. These standards address the cabling and pathways (i.e., pathways and spaces), and 

are based on a subsystem architecture or structured cabling elements, which is shown on the following page. 

Prior to the standards, the subsystem concept was first used for voice systems. During the 1980s it was also 

adopted for data systems. Like the BAS equipment of today, there were many different types of cables and wiring 

methods for data systems before the standards were established. Data networks were typically unmanageable, with 

little or no flexibility, and new cabling was often necessary when systems were changed or upgraded. 

With some slight modifications (e.g., use of a coverage area versus a work area), the TIA/EIA and ISO/IEC documents 

can also be used to provide the same standardized cabling architecture for the BAS devices, systems, and 

applications. This has led to the development and recent publication of the ANSI/TIA/EIA-862 Building Automation 

Cabling Standard. This standard specifies a generic cabling system for BAS used in commercial buildings that will 

support a multi-vendor environment. The purpose of this standard is to enable the planning and installation of a 

structured cabling system for BAS applications used in new or renovated commercial premises. It establishes 

performance, topology and technical criteria for various cabling system configurations for connecting BAS equipment 

and devices. It also provides information that may be used for the design of commercial BAS products. 

The horizontal cabling and pathways can be designed for all the services with the Telecommunications Room (TR) 

as the terminating point. This is the key to the integration of cabling and pathways. The wallfields/distribution frames 

at the TR location can be combined for maximum flexibility, or individual termination fields can be established within 

the same TR. Therefore, a secure area for all cabling is created, thus reducing the multiple spaces required for 

traditional separate installations. Maintenance is also simplified since all systems are located in a common area. 

4


SCS Cabling Elements 

Horizontal 

Riser Backbone 

TR 

Equipment Cabling 

MC 

ER 

Campus Backbone 

EF 

F 

TR 

TO 

This also allows a single pathway to be designed for supporting the various horizontal cables in the workspace. 

It can even be taken a step further by incorporating the power for lighting and receptacles from the electrical panel 

into a modular partitioned raceway. This could be used instead of a traditional hardwired installation consisting of 

several conduit and cable tray systems for the voice, data, video, BAS, and electrical services. 

Case studies show that an integrated approach can provide up to 30% construction savings for cabling and pathways 

when a single high/low voltage cabling infrastructure is implemented. The savings will vary according to geographical 

costs for material and labor. Material costs will typically be higher than a traditional separate systems installation, 

but labor hours can typically be reduced by as much as 50%. This could not only mean substantial construction 

savings, but also allows the building to be occupied sooner, resulting in additional rental or lease revenue. 

Even if an integrated high/low voltage raceway system is not utilized, the pathways may still be consolidated by 

using one cable tray system for all of the power-limited services. Conduit can also be provided from the cable tray 

to protect critical services. Whatever is decided, with early planning comes the ability to evaluate all the services 

and consolidate individual voice, data, video, and BAS using a single cable type and pathway, instead of multiple 

cable types and pathways. 

5


ELEC 

BLDG 

TR 

ELEC 

TR 

Separate Systems Approach Using Multiple 

Hardwired Cable Delivery Methods 

Integrated Systems Approach Using 

Modular Raceway & Open Office Cabling 

The building’s tenants can also realize significant savings. A traditional facility with leased space may not provide 

horizontal cabling for any services. This increases the setup time for tenants. In addition, the tenant usually pays 

for the voice and data cabling, along with the cost for occupying the space during setup. The cost and setup time 

for the tenant can be dramatically reduced by installing an open office horizontal cabling grid during the construction 

phase. Open office cabling, which is actually another term for pre-wired zone cabling, provides a building with a 

marketable advantage that could mean the difference between empty and occupied space. Attracting tenants 

with reduced costs and a high-tech platform for services can increase building occupancy, and one month of full 

occupancy may pay for the entire cabling system. 

With open office cabling quickly becoming the preferred method of cabling for both new construction and renovations, 

it is possible to provide a cabling design without knowing the furniture plan or where any of the devices will be located. 

The entire design for the cabling can be based on the maximum usage of the size and type of space. As an 

example, a typical voice and data work area for an office can be located every 9 square meters (100 square feet), 

and the BAS devices can be calculated based on every 25 square meters (approximately 250 square feet). 

Using this design approach makes the horizontal cabling and pathways completely reusable for virtually any 

furniture plan. This is basically the same method used by the electrical industry for power (i.e., lighting and 

receptacles), except zones are typically called bays and power connections are hardwired. 

Historically, voice and data horizontal cabling has not been installed during the construction phase. If the cabling 

is installed during the construction phase it is easier to install, minimizes damage to finished surfaces, and is 

reusable for the life of the structure when designed properly. Additionally, new cabling does not have to be 

installed every time the tenants move, or when systems are changed or upgraded. This helps to eliminate 

cluttered floor and ceiling spaces. In addition, constant rewiring within a structure tends to cause modifications 

that may affect the physical structure of the building and the integrity of the technology deployed in the structure. 

As the following “life cycle” diagram shows, systems will change many times during the life of a structure. 

With proper planning, it is not necessary to provide new cabling every time systems are changed or upgraded. 

6


Building Structure 

Life Cycle = 40+ Years 

Office Automation 

1 - 2 - 3 Years 

Telecommunications 

3 - 5 Years 

Building Management 

5 - 7 Years 

Flexibility for services (i.e., electrical, voice, data, video, and BAS) is critical for today’s business. All services should 

be considered in the early planning stages when constructing or renovating a building, not just the electrical and BAS, 

in order to provide cost savings, maximum flexibility, and a platform for high-tech services. 

4. Integrating Building Automation Systems (BAS) 

with the Structured Cabling Systems for Voice and Data 

A typical BAS architecture is hierarchical, as shown below, and centralizes the monitoring, operation and 

management of the modern commercial building. The control functions are usually distributed and resident in the 

system- and field-level controllers, with higher level functions (e.g., interactions between systems and controllers) 

resident in the system-level controllers. In addition, each type of controller is usually capable of operating in a 

stand-alone manner with limited functions in the event of a communications bus failure. 

MANAGEMENT-LEVEL 

PROCESSOR(S) 

Peripheral 

Devices 

PC or 

Minicomputer 

ETHERNET LAN 

SYSTEM-LEVEL 

CONTROLLERS 

To 

MC MC MC 

Sensors 

and 

MC MC 

Devices 

MC 

To 

Sensors 

and 

Devices 

MC 

T 

MC 

FIELD-LEVEL 

CONTROLLERS 

T 

Sensor 

MC 

To 

Sensors 

and 

Devices 

MC 

To 

Sensors 

and 

Devices 

Device 

MC 

MC 

7


The system-level controllers are used for linking the sequenced operation of field-level controllers, via the 

communications bus, and will typically have expandable point or port capacity. The field-level controllers are 

designed for specific application requirements and have limited port capacity. The design of this hierarchical BAS 

network has been driven by the need to provide limited control functions in the event of a network or 

communications bus failure (i.e., controllers can operate in a stand-alone mode), and to limit cabling runs from the 

controllers to the devices. The more controllers you have, the shorter the cabling runs. Since there is no structure 

to the traditional BAS cabling and all devices are homerun to the controllers, it has always been impractical to 

homerun cables to a central controller. The traditional BAS cabling method also ties the life cycle of the cabling 

plant directly to the system to which it is connected. 

SCS eliminates this cabling dilemma because of the cabling elements or subsystem approach. Distribution of the 

cabling takes place in the TR or horizontal terminating point. When looking at the cabling distance from the 

mechanical area to the device, versus the TR to the device, it’s found to be similar since both areas are typically 

adjacent to each other. What does this mean Using the dynamic flexibility of the cabling elements (i.e., 

equipment cabling, cross-connects, etc.) not found in traditional BAS cabling, makes it possible to place the BAS 

controllers in a variety of configurations to reduce costs and provide greater flexibility. 

As an example, some field level controllers may be consolidated, depending on their function, and a larger 

capacity system-level controller can be used to provide BAS connections through the riser cabling to the 

horizontal, or controllers may be consolidated at the horizontal terminating point. The cabling elements maximize 

flexibility and can allow any port to be connected to any location in the facility, but will typically add costs to the 

installation since they are not part of a traditional BAS. However, these costs can be substantially offset by using 

the cabling elements to consolidate pathways and multiple equipment locations, and by optimizing the 

telecommunications and BAS installation through the use of a single installation team. 

Early planning is critical for determining the optimal placement of the controllers (i.e., distributed, centralized, or a 

combination of both), telecommunications spaces, and pathways in conjunction with the mechanical/electrical 

areas. When distributing the BAS controllers the SCS makes it possible to: 

• Locate BAS system-level controllers in a mechanical area or the telecommunications spaces 

(e.g., TC, MC, ER, etc.). 

• Reduce the number of BAS system- and field-level controllers by consolidating multiple locations in the TRs or MC. 

• Recover from controller failures by retranslating and rerouting BAS services via cross-connects to spare ports. 

• Use the TR to create one secure location for housing all the telecommunications and BAS controllers on a floor 

or floor area. 

8


Some BAS vendors state that the controllers must be placed in close proximity to the mechanical equipment for 

trouble shooting, but an RJ45-type outlet can provide plug-in capabilities for a remote hand held tester. The following 

illustration, which can still be implemented using the telecommunications distribution system, shows a traditional BAS 

and telecommunications distribution system using multiple cable types and pathways. 

Traditional Distributed BAS - Multiple Horizontal Pathways 

BAS 

BAS 

BAS 

Fire 

Security 

HVAC & EMS 

BAS Devices 

Telecommunications Room (TR) 

Data 

Voice Riser 

V/D Work Areas 

The next illustration shows how integrating the telecommunications and BAS with SCS using a distributed BAS 

equipment approach can consolidate BAS controllers and pathways to reduce costs. 

Integrated with Distributed BAS – Single Horizontal Pathways & Common Equipment Location 

Telecommunications Room (TR) 

BAS 

Data 

BAS Devices 

V/D Work Areas 

Voice Riser 

When distributing, or centralizing the BAS controllers, any power required to operate devices, such as fire alarm 

strobes or Variable Air Volume (VAV) boxes, can be distributed from the TRs or provided locally. This may necessitate 

additional BAS hardware (e.g., power supplies) in the TRs since the telecommunications cabling will typically power 

less devices per cable. However, this situation could be alleviated if BAS power supplies were manufactured with 

more power taps that supplied less current per tap (e.g., 10 outputs that deliver up to 1 amp per tap). The power 

taps could even be modular, with multiple appearances on a jack, which would also simplify the installation. 

In addition to being distributed, the BAS controllers can also be centralized if distance limitations are supported. 

A centralized equipment approach does not mean centralized intelligence since most modern BAS use distributed 

intelligence (i.e. small capacity controllers distributed through a building), but distributed intelligence can still be 

accomplished using a centralized equipment approach. This approach works best with system-level controllers 

incorporating a minimum of 32 ports. Large capacity system-level controllers may not be available through some 

BAS vendors, but this strategy can still be accomplished using smaller sized controllers. 

9


Centralizing the BAS controllers can be compared to some of today’s telecommunications strategies, including: 

A private branch exchange (PBX) distributed (i.e., remote PBX cabinets) to meet distance requirements, otherwise it 

is centralized to reduce equipment costs. 

• Centralized fiber administration is used to reduce the cost of active electronics. 

• Data hubs are only distributed to maintain distances limitations, otherwise they would be centralized to reduce the 

cost of active electronics. 

Using a distributed equipment approach is typically not cost effective for most types of equipment or systems. 

Sometimes the system limitations for data transmission or power require a distributed topology, but this is usually 

not the case for the typical low-speed and power-limited BAS equipment. Because the traditional BAS installation 

has no cross-connect system, it is neither practical nor cost effective to run device cables to a central equipment 

location. When centralizing the BAS controllers the SCS makes it possible to: 

• Use all the available BAS ports anywhere in the building via the riser backbone cabling. 

• Reduce the number of system- and field-level controllers. 

• Provide centralized BAS administration. 

• Recover from equipment failures by retranslating and rerouting BAS services via cross-connects to spare ports. 

(i.e., in a traditional installation, the panel or components within the controller would have to be replaced in 

order to restore service). 

• Alternate ports from controllers to eliminate complete outages in designated areas. 

• Reduce BAS installation, testing, equipment, and electrical costs by consolidating equipment areas. 

The following illustration shows how centralizing the BAS equipment can reduce the quantity and associated costs 

of the BAS controllers. 

10


Traditional Distributed 

SCS Centralized 

3rd 

Floor 

30 Ports 

20 Devices 

20 Devices 

2nd 

Floor 

20 Ports 

10 Devices 

30 Ports 30 Ports 

10 Devices 

1st 

Floor 

30 Ports 

20 Devices 

20 Devices 

80 Ports - 3 Equipment Panels 

50 Devices - 30 Spare Ports 

60 Ports - 2 Equipment Panels 

50 Devices - 10 Spare Ports 

The telecommunications cabling also makes upgrading the BAS controllers faster and more cost effective. 

In a traditional installation, devices are wired straight from the controller to the device. When the controller needs to 

be upgraded, the cables must be reterminated or the terminal strips need to be moved to the new controller. 

This is not always easy or practical. In some cases the device cables may not be reusable. However, the SCS cabling 

elements allow the devices to be reconfigured at the cross-connect location with the simple addition of some new 

equipment cabling. The SCS approach assures economical equipment upgrades with minimal service outages. 

Speeds for data transmission are rising as technology advances and more information is processed. The new BAS 

are composed of intelligent controllers with addressable devices, and basically mirror today’s data networking and 

LAN architectures. In fact, data backbones are increasingly being used as a traffic mechanism for the BAS 

communications. This allows any PC with the proper passwords to access the BAS via an internal network or even 

through the Internet. As the BAS equipment becomes more advanced, their associated data transmission speeds 

will also increase. Currently, some of the traditional BAS cabling will only support limited data rates and applications. 

If the right cabling is not incorporated into the structure during construction, it may require new cabling at a future 

point in time. 

5. Bid Specifications 

Systems integration can easily be accomplished with the proper bid specifications and a decision by the building 

owner, developer or executive management to select the cabling system first. Each individual equipment 

specification should provide, or refer to, an overview of the systems integration concept and define the scope of 

work responsibilities by SCS subsystem for the equipment vendor and cabling contractor. The electrical 

characteristics of the cabling should also be included in the specification to assure systems performance. 

Once this has been provided, a bid specification for the cabling and pathways can be defined to integrate all the 

systems. By using this systems integration approach it is possible to reduce each equipment vendor’s bid by 

20-30% since cabling, pathways, and cable path engineering will be provided by an integrated cabling specification. 

11


6. Conclusion 

The recent publication of ANSI/TIA/EIA-862 Building Automation Cabling Standard will encourage the use of 

structured cabling to support building services. The SCS concept provides many benefits, resulting in minimizing 

the total cost of ownership (TCO) and maximizing the return on investment (ROI) of a building property. 

Construction costs for the cabling of the voice, data, and BAS can be reduced by up to 30% when integrating the 

cabling and pathways. One project team can engineer, install, and project manage the installation for all the 

cabling. Trade contention is reduced, scheduling is easier, and ultimately the project runs more efficiently. 

If something goes wrong, the customer only has to deal with one team for systems integration. The length of the 

overall project for engineering and installation can also be reduced by consolidating the cabling installation. 

The key to this is early planning. If the systems (Voice, Data, Fire, Security, HVAC, etc.) are bid and designed 

separately, costs for delivering the cable will increase and flexibility will decrease. Costs can be minimized and 

flexibility can be increased if pathways are shared for the various services. How the cabling is delivered to the 

work areas and devices will ultimately determine the cost of changes and rearrangements. One integrated cabling 

system and cable pathway can be implemented, versus five or six individual cabling systems and pathways. 

Moves, changes, rearrangements, and upgrades can be performed more cost effectively, with a potential savings 

of 25 - 40% for material and labor when using an open office cabling approach. There is less disruption to the 

work environment, which also affects the cost and performance of doing business. In addition, with only one 

cabling system to administer, the response time to end-user cabling requests is reduced. This also reduces the 

time required to maintain the cabling system. How the “building is built” today will ultimately determine how much 

it costs to live there tomorrow. 

7. Cost Models 

Overview and Premises Configuration 

This cost model compares a traditional separate systems installation to a singly designed and installed Structured 

Cabling System (SCS). The approach can be applied to any new or renovated building project. In this case, the 

traditional approach uses multiple cable types and pathways. The SCS method uses the same cable type for all 

the voice, data, video and BAS services, with a common pathway for all horizontal low and high voltage services. 

The SCS “Open Office” cabling approach also provides for additional horizontal coverage with 306 spare outlets. 

12


Premises Configuration Separate Traditional Integrated SCS 

Floors 5 5 

Square Feet 100,000 100,000 

Square Meters 9,294 9,294 

Horizontal Cabling Homerun Open Office 

Horizontal Pathway Conduit/Tray Raceway 

Work Areas 850 850 

Voice/Data Outlets 2550 2550 

Spare Outlets (*) 0 306 

BAS Devices 400 400 

Electric Circuits 257 257 

Installation Costs 

In this configuration, the installation cost comparison uses typical pricing from the United States for labor, material 

and engineering. Although the pricing for these items may vary, particularly outside of the United States, the concept 

can be applied to projects anywhere. The SCS savings is basically achieved by designing and installing a single 

integrated cabling system versus multiple cabling systems and pathways. In addition, by centralizing the BAS equipment 

using the SCS subsystem approach, there is also a savings associated with reducing the quantity of controllers. 

13


Total Project 

$840,213 

$994,700 

Material 

$476,234 

$376,450 

Labor 

$261,350 

$472,199 

Engineering/ 

Proj Mgmt 

$102,629 

$146,051 

SCS 

Traditional 

SCS Installation Savings = 16.0% 

Installation Costs Separate Traditional Integrated SCS 

Material - Voice/Data/BAS Cabling $252,136 $298,545 

Labor - Voice/Data/BAS Cabling $139,031 $154,050 

Material - Conduit/Tray vs. Raceway $79,472 $82,508 

Labor - Conduit/Tray vs. Raceway $203,637 $35,850 

Material - Electrical (Horizontal) $41,232 $95,181 

Labor - Electrical (Horizontal) $129,531 $71,450 

Additional BAS Equipment Panels $3,610 

Engineering and Consultation $63,251 $51,329 

Project Management $82,800 $51,300 

Total Installation Cost $994,700 $840,213 

SCS Installation Saving = 16% $154,487 

Installation Labor Hours 

The integrated approach, in this example, dramatically reduces the labor hours and actually takes about half the 

time to implement when compared to the traditional methods. The primary labor savings comes from consolidating 

the horizontal cable pathways and providing modular electrical services. 

The hours for the distribution cabling are relatively close, but the SCS approach has 306 additional outlets. 

More cables can be installed for about the same amount of labor because the open office cabling approach 

consolidates the number of cables pulled together. In addition, all voice, data, video, and BAS cables are installed 

concurrently. By reducing the labor hours, the space can typically be occupied at an earlier date. 

14


Total Labor Hours 

5,227 

9,392 

Cabling 

Pathways 

17 

3,081 (306 Additional Outlets) 

2,780 

4,072 

Electrical 

1,429 

2,540 

SCS 

Traditional 

SCS Labor Hours Savings = 44% 

Labor Hours for Installation Separate Traditional Integrated SCS 

Labor - Voice/Data/BAS Cabling 2,780 Hours 3,081 Hours 

Labor - Pathways Conduit/Tray vs. Raceway 4,072 Hours 717 Hours 

Labor - Electrical (Horizontal) 2,540 Hours 1,429 Hours 

Total Labor Hours 9,392 Hours 5,227 Hours 

SCS Labor Savings = 44% 

4,165 Hours 

Move, Add, Change (MAC) Costs 

In addition to examining the construction costs it is important to also evaluate the operational costs associated with 

the moves, adds, and changes (MACs) of the voice, data, and electrical services. The costs depicted in this example 

are based on typical United States labor rates for the actual work to be accomplished and do not include visit 

charges. The comparison assumes that 15% of the work areas will be new, and the remaining 85% will be 

rearranged or reused. One work area consists of a voice, two data, and dual electrical outlet. 

If 50% of the work areas experience these MACs (churn) over a one-year period, the SCS operational savings 

amount to 39%. When projected over a five year period the savings are not only substantial, but allow the building 

owner or manager to quickly respond to changes requested by the occupants. 

15


5 Year Period 

50% MAC (Churn) Per Year 

$205,229 

$334,267 

SCS 

Traditional 

SCS Move, Add, Change (MAC) Savings = 39% Per Year 

MAC Costs Per Work Area Separate Traditional Integrated SCS Savings 

SCS Open Office 

Cost Per Move (60% of MACs) $115 $61 $54 

Cost Per Add (15% of MACs) $421 $232 $189 

Cost Per Change (25% of MACs) $38 $38 

MAC Per Year = 50% of Work Area 

5-Year MAC Costs $334,267 $205,229 $129,038 

SCS MAC Savings = 39% Per Year 

16

© 2004 CommScope, Inc. 

All rights reserved. 

Visit our Web site at www.systimax.com or contact your local SYSTIMAX Solutions 

representative or SYSTIMAX BusinessPartner for more information. 

SYSTIMAX Solutions is a trademark of CommScope. All trademarks identified by ® or are 

registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of CommScope. 

This document is for planning purposes only and is not intended to modify or supplement any 

specifications or warranties relating to SYSTIMAX Solutions products or services. 

03/04 WP-A-1

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